The Significance of Mother Tongue Education i...

The Significance of Mother Tongue Education in NEP-2020

Author Name : Sabahuddin Ahmad

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56025/IJARESM.2025.1302251677

ABSTRACT The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a transformative shift in India’s educational landscape, with a strong emphasis on mother tongue-based education at the foundational level. This paper delves into the significance of this emphasis, analyzing its far-reaching impact on various dimensions of education, including cognitive development, cultural preservation, and educational outcomes. The NEP-2020’s recommendation to prioritize mother tongue instruction aligns with global educational research that underscores the cognitive and emotional benefits of learning in one’s native language. This paper explores how mother tongue-based education can enhance literacy rates, academic performance, and critical thinking skills by offering a more accessible and contextually relevant learning experience for students, especially in multilingual and marginalized communities. Furthermore, the paper critically examines the challenges inherent in implementing this approach across a linguistically diverse nation like India.